Picture Show Man, The (1977) – Nostalgia Central

The nostalgic comedy set in Australia in the 1920s brought Rod Taylor back to his native Australia after many years in the US.

The film revolves around Maurice Pym (John Meillon) – the picture show man of the title – and his son, Larry (Harold Hopkins) as they travel around the outback of New South Wales (NSW) with an antiquated horse-drawn movie projector and their dapper pianist Freddie (John Ewart), showing silent films for folks in the small, remote rural towns.

Pym is vying for his share of this small outback entertainment market with another travelling moving picture outfit (with more modern equipment) run by a hustling American man named Palmer (Taylor), who is assisted by a pianist named Lou (Garry McDonald).

There are comic fistfights between the rivals, much tragi-comedy of itinerant men-without-women who are constantly on the move, and lots of satisfying footage of country NSW, complete with grassy banks, cosy swimming holes and sweeping plains.

It’s not a particularly riveting film and would almost certainly benefit from tighter editing.

There is a worthy performance from John Ewart as the loyal and optimistic pianist, and the British comedy actor Patrick Cargill is perfect in a small role as a drunken, over-the-hill vaudeville act.

John Meillon is adequate as the slightly roguish, mainly likeable Pym, but many may feel that Rod Taylor is a little less than convincing as Pym’s brash, dollar-conscious rival.

Nor is Harold Hopkins exactly compelling as Pym’s shy, father-dominated son.

The NSW government invested $120,000 of the $636,000 budget.

Maurice Pym
John Meillon
Palmer
Rod Taylor
Freddie
John Ewart
Larry Pym
Harold Hopkins
Lucy
Sally Conabere
Fitzwilliam
Patrick Cargill
Madame Cavalli
Jelena Zigon
Lou
Garry McDonald
Miss Lockhart
Judy Morris
Mrs Duncan
Jeanie Drynan
Major Lockhart
Don Crosby
Mrs Summers
Delore Whiteman
Hall Secretary
Gerry Duggan
Policeman
Tony Barry
Bookmaker
Ernie Bourne

Director
John Power